Fleas are usually no more than a nuisance, although some people and animals have an allergy to them and a very heavy infestation of fleas can make a home unpleasant for residents and visitors. Any cat or dog can pick up fleas from other pets at any time, and once established in a home a flea population can be difficult to exterminate without professional pest control assistance. Our professional flea control methods combine a variety of flea treatments which may include dust formulations, residual surface sprays, fogging, sticky boards and monitoring traps. For fleas that are deeply embedded a our Bristol team may have to fumigate parts of your home, but we will of course discuss all treatment options with you. For a full flea treatment and extermination service in the City of Bristol contact The Bristol Pest Controller today.
The Bristol Flea Treatment Team:
The Bristol Pest Controller is always happy to help identify if your Bristol home or business has been infiltrated by fleas. These fleas, often bought in by pets such as cats and dogs will if left untreated lay their eggs in furniture, carpets and pet beds. At this stage it can be very difficult to remove them with conventional flea treatments.
If you suspect you have found a flea in your home, you can identify them by their typical traits. All fleas are small, brown, flattened insects, which are a few millimetres in length. They have hairs that point backwards, to help keep them on the host animal. You may also notice a flea’s black eye, and of course fleas have a significant jumping range.
Flea bites are often seen in a row or a clump of bites near to each other. Bites can itch, and stay red, for up to several weeks and it isn’t unusual to see some hair loss where an animal has scratched repeatedly. In very severe cases, fleas can cause anaemia. Often it will seem that one or two people in a home are being bitten, but in fact they are probably reacting most badly to the flea bites.
Cat and dog fleas (Cetnocephalides felis and Cetnocephalides canis) are about 2.5mm long and brownish (see picture on the left). Cat fleas are the most frequently seen and cat owners will often notice an increase in the number of fleas in their home if it has been left empty for a week or two.
Fleas also have a larval stage, which feeds in particles of dry blood and other material in cracks and crevices. A very heavy infestation can be signalled by a dusting of white eggs and larvae in the animals’ sleeping area.
Some of the biggest infestations appear when a property is empty for a period of time, as fleas emerge from the larval stage and seek new animal hosts. Many hundreds of cat and dog fleas can appear simultaneously in this way, and it can look as if a carpet has been sprinkled with pepper. Fleas can jump – only in daylight or artificial light – large distances onto a moving animal nearby.
Contact Our Bristol Flea Treatment Team Today:
Get an immediate quote for flea control in the Bristol area. At The Bristol Pest Controller we are happy to manage your flea removal and treatment project from start to finish. Please contact our friendly team today.